Saturday, February 27, 2010

Why shoot for par when all you get is a boogie!

On March 1st, the Federal government has decided to impose a 21% cut in physician reimbursement for any Medicare covered service. Physicians themselves have not had a pay increase since 1983 and infact reimbursement has gone down because of inflation. Anyway, if you participate in Medicare, your revenue that runs the practice is going way down. Since Medicaid is tied to Medicare and Medicaid is 60% of Medicare, Medicaid is now so low that what was left of the physicians who took it are leaving. Before the cut, Medicare was paid about 75% of what private insurance pays for your care.

So, physicians accross the country are deciding this weekend. If we participate (Par) in Medicare, you get at least the 21% cut. So if you shoot for the par, the government gives you a bogey. If you opt out, Medicare patients must pay you out of their pocket and then try to get reimbursed from the government. There is one catch, if you opt out you have to wait 2 years to opt in. Anyway, it looks like many docs are opting out. I can only imagine the outrage when all the seniors who have to pay for their care and then try to get the government to reimburse them!

It is what it is. Perhaps this is what is needed to knock some sense into Congress. People might see how screwed up the government is because now its their money that they have to get back!

2 comments:

SeaSpray said...

I am sorry this is all happening.

It just isn't right.

I don't blame the docs.

But ..many people just won't get the care they need. or they will go to the ER ..but still won't be able to get follow-up care.

Maybe the government wants this to happen so as to force the government health care plan. Come in as the white knight in shining armour and save the day. ??
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FYI: I don't feel the health Summit accomplished anything ..unless I missed something. I was impressed with what some of the republicans said. Hopefully the public understood the republican position better.

I like what Mary Matilin said on CNN. She said they could have 6 things on the president's desk to vote for next week that would go a long way to helping the system. i forget them all ..but extending adult children in school on parent's policy. (Our younger son still in school but kicked off a month after 22 this coming OCT can get Cobra tho) Tort reform, open borders, tax incentives for sm business to hire employees, and I forget the rest. She said if they would vote on those things right now ..it would be a bi-partisan effort. No one party would get the credit ..but America would be successful. if only...

What a lame, financially wasteful process this has been. I pray it changes ..but this president and administration are ruining this country. And even worse ..he is increasingly being perceived as weak around the world. I DO want him to be good for this country..but do not see any evidence of it yet.

SeaSpray said...

Hi Throckmorton ..off topic: Liar, liar..pants on fire!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzTqQ5wHux0

You may have seen that already on the news Sunday ..but can you believe it?!

Actually ..from her ..I can. Disgusting actually.

She compared the tea party people to astroturf, Nazis and then this caused me to feel upset and angry when she so transparently tried to link tea partiers and the movement with violence:
(The title on video is misleading because I don't believe media was lying. proof is in the clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4vp9og7gTc

I agree with the reporter that Pelosi was in dangerous territory doing this. My first thought is a. crocodile tears. I can see her being brutal and not think twice about it. b. What does she think she's doing Is she not potentially inciting violence?

And *now* she is trying to identify herself with the party?

*This is kind of funny. Last week I was working in the kitchen and I heard on the news that the Vice President was in the hospital. I assumed it was Biden. (Didn't realize it was Cheney)

I panicked and hollered out to my husband. "Oh NO! Does that mean PELOSI is 2nd in command???"

God forbid!

The male counterpart to Pelosi's blatant dishonesty (you see it before your eyes ..incredulously that she has a straight face when doing it)is Barney Frank.

Just delete if you want ..I just couldn't believe this when I heard it on the radio coming home tonight!